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Christmas Card Holder – A Lowes Creative Idea #LowesCreator

Written by Jenna on . Posted in Christmas, DIY, Holiday. 13 Comments on Christmas Card Holder – A Lowes Creative Idea #LowesCreator

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and stuffed your tummies full of turkey and mashed potatoes (with butter of course) – my personal favorite.  We traveled and enjoyed the Holiday very much, but the only bummer about not hosting was the lack of leftovers.  Anyway, let’s get on to something fun…

I’m super excited for today because I have so much to share with you!  I’ve been busy preparing for the Christmas season (yes, already – I know for some it’s early), but wanted to let Thanksgiving pass before bombarding you with all my Christmas inspiration.  Now that the Holiday season countdown has begun, brace yourself for a fun few weeks ahead with DIY creations and decorating ideas and tips!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the first Christmas cards started trickling in over the weekend and since my December Lowe’s Challenge was to create something for the upcoming Holiday season, a new Christmas Card Holder seemed so apropos.

This card holder is one of my favorite projects I’ve ever made.  I got the idea when creating the family pallet photo holder a few weeks ago.  At the time, I mentioned how I felt the photo holder was so versatile and didn’t have to just hold family photos, but also christmas cards during the holidays, as well as invitations, announcements, etc anytime of year.  Thus my Christmas Card Holder was created…

I started off my hitting the lumber and paint aisles of my local Lowe’s and picked up a few must-have items:

  • 6′ long X 12″ wide wood board
  • clothes pins (30 – 35)
  • spray paint (I chose Valspar Glossy Cut Ruby)
  • stencil (purchased at AC Moore / a silhouette would work too)
  • white paint & stain (for the distressing)
  • paint for the letter (I chose metallic gold)

I began by…

1. Distressing the Wood

I was going for a worn look and wanted the wood to look old and distressed, so I banged-it-up a bit and layered it with a combo of paint and stain.

I began by using  nails, chain, and a hammer to bang up the surface to make it “used and abused”.  This is a great way to get out some of that pent-up aggression – hehe.

Once I achieved the desired “wear”, I added one coat of white paint.  I used a semi-gloss finish paint that I had laying around, but any kind will do.  Once dry, I sanded the wood thoroughly so some areas of the raw wood showed through and the surface was smooth.  I added a light coat of stain focusing more on the edges and ends. I applied it in small sections and quickly wiped it away so only a thin layered remained. Then I added another coat of white paint and sanded the surface once more.  This layering process resulted in just the right amount of wear.

Old to New in 30 minutes!

2. Stencil

I found a pretty stencil at AC Moore which I got for about $3+ (using a 50% off coupon). The letters are 3″ high and the words CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS fit just right on the 6′ board.

3. Paint

Once I outlined the stenciled letters with a pencil, I filled them in with a nice metallic gold craft paint. At first, I was going to use red or green for the letters, but I am so glad I chose gold – I’m loving the hue, especially with the other goldtones in my other holiday decor.

4. Adding the Clothespins

While the letters were drying, I spray painted the clothes pins with Valspar Glossy Cut Ruby.  Once they were ready, I attached them to the wood board with hot glue.  The spacing between each clothespin is about 5-6″ and there are 16 on each side.

 And it’s done…

I’ll admit, the Christmas cards are from last year – I haven’t received that many yet.  I always keep my cards and then use them the next year as tags for presents, so that’s what these will be used for in a few short weeks.

My new card holder is such a unique and fun addition to our Christmas decor. I have it situated right next to the Christmas tree so we can enjoy the treasures that are sent from family and friends – true Christmas Blessings!

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to display Christmas Cards, check out the roundup I did last year, by clicking on the link: 15 Creative Ways to Display Christmas Cards.

And I created another card holder last year if you want to see that as well.  I love this one too, but with all the cards we receive, it ended up not being large enough.  This new one though, has lots of room! Click to see: Holiday Card Holder.

I’m still working on putting the finishing touches on the rest of the house, and hope to share a Christmas Tour next week.  In the meantime, I’ll be showing you a few more DIY projects, as well as some easy and fun decorating ideas.

Have you decorated for the Holidays yet?  How to you display your Christmas cards?

Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’s gift card to purchase items for my project.  I was also compensated for my time to use the products.  No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write.  All opinions are 100% mine!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

DIY: Pallet Picture Holder

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 7 Comments on DIY: Pallet Picture Holder

Just last week I finished up a really cute project for a client (which I was super close to keeping, but she was glad I didn’t) and I’m excited to share it with you today!

I’ve been making my way through the huge stash of pallets that I’ve had stored in the garage for quite some time.  Pallets are great for projects like this when you’re looking for a distressed, worn result and want to spend little (or no) money. Most pallets, a.k.a. shipping crates, have already been used-and-abused, so they are easy to dismantle and start upcycling.

When finishing up the final details on this clients family room, I showed her this picture of a similar pallet project and her response was YES! And off I was creating this Pallet Picture Holder…

I started off by looking through my pallets (some were new and some had been picked through) to choose the 8 that looked best with each other.

Every pallet that I’ve taken apart (except one), has been constructed using twisted nails, and they are a BIG PAIN!  A typical crowbar or hammer won’t be helpful here and so I always use a reciprocating saw.  It’s a lifesaver!  Actually during this project, my original reciprocating saw broke – what a bummer.  Understandable though since I use it ALOT + it wasn’t top of the line (lesson learned: buy quality, buy once).

Anyway, once I took apart the pallet, I gathered the planks I needed (8 total which were about 40″ long) and then cut two pieces for the back that would hold the planks in position.

The overall size of this pallet picture holder is (about) 40″ x 28″.

Using finishing nails, I nailed two in each plank on each side into the back plank.

This was the result when done (from the back)…

I tell ya, this bad boy is heavy! I forgot to take a picture of the picture hanging wire I added to the back, but if you try something similar, make sure the hardware is for at least 100 lbs+.  The last thing you’d want is this falling down.  It doesn’t weigh 100 lbs, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!

This wall decor picture holder is going on a soon-to-be dark chocolate colored wall, so we (the client and I) decided that it’d look best to have the planks be lighter in color.  To do this, I added a quick sweep of paint to the surface.  The wood of the planks still show through underneath, giving it a rustic worn aesthetic.

This was the point where the pallet went from a blank canvas to a picture holder.  And the simple way that happened was by adding clothes pins.  Before that though, I gave them a little color.  I used a slightly darker color taupe – Annie Sloan French Linen to be exact.

Once the clothes pins were dry, they were ready to be placed onto the pallet.

I wanted to give the option to use 4×6 or 5×7 sized pictures, and with the size of the pallet, I’d determined that 3 rows or 5 across would be the magical number.

Using a tape measure and starting off in the center, I marked where each clothes pin would be placed.

Once the positioning was just right, I added hot glue to the backs of the clothes pins and stuck them in place.  They were good as gold!

The last step was personalizing it a bit and adding {our family}.  My client is a photographer and huge picture-person, so this totally fit the bill!

And then to finish it all, I gave it a quick sanding with my orbital sander to distress the words and edges.

And the Pallet Picture Holder was complete!

It’s nice “naked”, but pictures make it pretty!

I also had a thought that this would make a great Holiday Card Holder too!

What projects have you created using pallets?

Want to see more of my pallet creations, check them out:
How To Make a Pallet Bookshelf
Wall Decor in my Eclectic Family Gallery Wall
Travel Subway Art Sign
Monogrammed Chevron Pallet Tray
Succulent Arrangement in a Pallet Container

Garage Entry: Kids Art Display

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 11 Comments on Garage Entry: Kids Art Display

Many of us have a door in our home that leads to the garage.  It’s a metal door and so it’s magnetized, leaving the perfect opportunity to jazz it up, bring color into the room, and display kids artwork, coupons, or much more.

I’m always looking for new nooks and crannies to organize and make life easier!  The entrance door to the garage is a perfect spot because it’s the way many of us enter and exit our homes.

As I mentioned (and gave you a sneak peak on) the other day when sharing my new foyer floor, our foyer space is not only the entrance area, but also the spot where the powder room, laundry, coat closet, and pantry are located.  Lots of functions in just one area and a place I spend alot of time in (mostly doing laundry!)

The door before was a blah white and with the old darker floor, it was a cavernous hallway.  Once deciding to paint the door, I chose the same color as my front door – Valspar Olive Tree WV34010.  I really love the cheerful apple green color and with all the other vibrant colors going on, adding another hue would be overload.

So here’s the before & after…

It’s amazing what a little paint can do! I started off by grabbing a small trial size container of Valspar paint at Lowe’s.  Since the door has no texture, I used a foam roller to apply the paint. It took quite a few coats – about 5 in all.

Once it was finally done, the space already looked so different, but it still needed more.

I had seen this cute idea a while back and thought it would be fun to try it out on this door.

via

I wanted to make “sections” for the kids artwork, plus a spot for pictures, coupons, and/or school announcements and invitations. Using a ruler and pencil, I outlined the “sections”.

And then painted over the lines with chalkpaint in old white.

Okay, so after it was done, I wasn’t loving the result.  I liked the look in the inspiration picture, but it wasn’t working with my white-against-green door. Onto idea #2.

Washi Tape!  You know how much I fell in love after my Washi Tape Initial creation.

Going over the lines of the paint, I added the washi tape and all was fixed and pretty!

Super cute, right?! And actually, you can still see some of the handpainted parts.

O, how we love thee Ben & Jerry’s – one of our Vermont favorites!

I also made these really cute decorative clothes pins with pretty scrap paper and mod podge – tutorial to come soon!

And one more time, the before & after…

O, do I love this new foyer space. If you haven’t checked out my new foyer floor using groutable luxury vinyl tile, here’s a picture + you can enter to win a $100 Lowe’s Gift Card!

Isn’t it truly incredible what a little paint can do?! Plus this is such a nice area to display some of the kids artwork, especially since the new refrigerator is stainless and non-magnetized.

Do you have a splash of color on your garage entry door?  Do you hang anything on it?

DIY: Installing Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY, Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile. 106 Comments on DIY: Installing Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile

I hope you had a nice weekend and if you’re in Sandy’s path, stay safe! We’ll see what she brings our way later today and tomorrow.

In the meantime, I spent much of last week working on my next Lowe’s Creative Team challenge.  This month’s project was a “create anything” project and it was the perfect opportunity to redo the foyer floor.  This project has been one that I’ve wanted to tackle since moving into our home.  The difficulty always has been, how.

The entrance into our home is not only the foyer, but also the space that leads to the garage, our laundry room, pantry, coat closet, and powder room. As being the major entrance and exit path into the home + all these important spaces, I couldn’t grasp the idea of a long period of downtime for this area.  With 2 kids and a busy schedule, it was mere impossible to not make this an easy 1 day project.  So that’s where the how came in.  How could it happen?

Well about a year ago, I learned about Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile.  This treasure has changed my life and saved a whole lotta headaches!  I shared my first LVT project earlier this year when I redid my parents floor, and since have used it in many other spots like my bathroom and the kids.

When the time came to tackle this project, it was really the only product that would provide the desired look of ceramic tile (you would never know it’s vinyl) , plus the quick turnaround of starting and finishing in ONE DAY.

What’s incredible about this tile is that once it’s finished, it looks and feels EXACTLY like ceramic tile.  You would never know it’s vinyl.  Believe me, I would not use something that has a fake look!

My existing floor was in really good condition. None of the tiles were cracked or chipped, and the real reason for the new floor was to aesthetically update the space.

If you plan on tackling this project, it’s important to evaluate the condition of your existing floor.  You may need to remove the existing floor or put down a leveler before installing the new floor.  Chat with your local Lowe’s customer service peeps.  My local guy was really helpful in directing me in the right direction.

To start off, I gathered my supplies for the tile installation part:

  • Triangle Ruler
  • X-acto Blade
  • Spacers ( I used 1/8 spacers)
  • A pencil
  • Snips
  • Cutting surface

There are various ways to start laying the tile.  Most commonly, experts say to start the first tile in the center of the room, but for me I wanted a whole tile when you walk into the front door, so I started at that point.  Since the room isn’t a perfect square, there really is no “center”.

Installing the tiles is really easy.  Similar to regular peel-and-stick tiles (even though these luxury vinyl tiles are much thicker and more durable), you do just that…

Peel the backing off the corner edge (not the entire tile).

Using spacers, lay down the tile starting at the corner edge.

Once the tile is positioned in place, peel off the remainder of the paper backing.

For my foyer floor, I layed as many whole tiles first, then went back and tackled all the tiles that needed to be cut afterwards.

For the tiles that need to be cut, here’s how I tackled them…

  1. Mark the cut with a pencil.
  2. Use a triangle to draw a line and mark the cut.
  3. Score the tile surface 2-3 times with an X-acto blade.
  4. Gently snap the tile where it was scored.

For difficult, none straight cuts, here’s how I tackled them…

  1. Sketch the design to be cut on the tile surface.
  2. Cut out the design using an X-acto blade.
  3. See if it fits and make needed adjustments.
  4. Stick it down. It doesn’t need to be perfect because once it’s grouted, many imperfections aren’t obvious.

I put together a quick video (it’s pretty amateur, so don’t poke fun please) of how I cut the pieces if you need more know-how!

 

Ok, so once the tiles are set, you can move RIGHT ON TO GROUTING.  That’s one of the beauties about groutable vinyl tile – there’s no downtime or waiting like with ceramic tile or natural stone.

To prep for grouting, it’s important to cover the areas where you don’t want grout.  Basically that’s the base mouldings around the room. For this, I find it easiest and best to apply painters tape around the perimeter of the room.

Onto my favorite part because at this point, you’re more than halfway done 🙂

For the grouting steps, I gathered my supplies of:

  • Bowl of water
  • Tile sponge (one side has a sponge, the other side is abrasive)
  • Tile float
  • Luxury Vinyl Tile Grout

The tiling process for vinyl tile is exactly the same as if it were ceramic, but the grout itself is different.  There is specially made pre-mixed grout specific for luxury vinyl tile. I used pre-mixed grout made by Precision Components which I found at Lowe’s in the same section as the groutable vinyl tiles.  This premixed sanded acrylic grout has “good flexural strength and adhesion” and is recommended to use over traditional cement grouts.

*Don’t use sanded grout that you mix yourself!

I started applying the grout by the stairs, so I knew I could back out of the space without stepping on what I just grouted. Even though it’s okay to walk on the tiles, the grout does need time to set and dry.  Once ready to apply the grout, I found it best to use a low angle and then a higher angle to wipe the excess away.  Once the joint is filled with grout, you want to wipe as much away as possible so not to have huge clumps of grout left on the tile – it just makes more work to clean up.

Once you’ve got a section of about 3′ x 3′ covered in grout, use a damp sponge to wipe away the grout.

You can easily notice the areas that have been grouted and the areas that haven’t (yet).

Once the grout is completed, I took the tape off.  It’s very important – and I’m only sharing this from a bad experience – to remove the tape when the grout is still somewhat wet otherwise once it’s hardened it’s near impossible (been there, done that).

Once the tape is off, the floor was done!  YES.  Major Project COMPLETE.  This is a huge checkmark off my DIY list. Here’s the result…

This is the hallway that leads to the garage with the doors to the washer/dryer on the left and the doors to the coat closet/pantry on the right.  I recently added a splash of color to this door and since it’s metal, it’s been a great place to display the kids artwork, coupons, etc.  I’ll share more on that in a future post.

Do you see a little something sitting at the front door?  That’s our new little 4 month old kitty.  She’s so cute and she loves the new floor – hehe!

Groutable Vinyl Tile PROS and CONS

Affordable – Luxury Vinyl Tile runs about $1.00 – $2.00 sq. ft. and compared to ceramic or natural stone, it is very inexpensive. The tiles which I purchased from Lowe’s were $1.18 and the premixed grout (for my 200 sq. ft. space, I used 2 tubs) cost $8/each.  Ceramic tile is available in a range of prices, but usually starts at $2 per sq. ft. , so the savings right there is 50%.

No Experience Required – And I’m completely being honest with you.  It’s easy and if you’ve never tiled before, you can do it!   I think a person with little experience can complete this project with ease.  Measuring and cutting is really the most difficult part of the project, so take your time and measure correctly!  Installing ceramic tile is not difficult, but it is tricky and experience is helpful.  Cutting ceramic tile can often be difficult and time consuming.  For prior ceramic tile projects, I’ve used tile snips, a tile cutter, and a wet saw.  A wet saw is the best for cutting ceramic tile, but it’s not easy – I’ve made alot of mistakes.  In my estimation, ceramic tile would take about double the time for installation compared to installing groutable vinyl tile.

Grout Right Away – Immediately after you install the groutable vinyl tiles, you can start the grouting process.  This makes the entire process possible to complete in one day.  With ceramic tile, after you finish laying it, you have to let the adhesive dry for 24 hours before grouting, which results in a 2+ day project, so essential ceramic tile takes double the time.

Availability and Selection – I purchased this groutable vinyl tile at Lowe’s, but other home improvement stores also offer similar products.  The selection is not as vast as ceramic tile (which is a con), but I was surprised by the wide range of colors and textures.

One important part to mention is that the surface must be level underneath.  If there is any flexibility in the subfloor, ie: gaps between the tiles and the subfloor, then the grout could crack and pull away from the tiles – this could happen with ceramic tile and LVT.  Overall though, it’s a great product with an amazing result.  As being a huge part of our home, this new floor sure brings a smile to my face!

Onto the giveaway, which is HUGE!

Now’s your chance to try this project in your home or something completely new and different.  Lowe’s is generously giving one winner a $100 Gift Card to their store – how cool?!

This is the first giveaway that I’m using rafflecopter, so please email me if you’re having trouble – jburger.design@gmail.com (fingers crossed it works!).

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’s gift card to purchase items for my project.  I was also compensated for my time to use the products.  No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write.  All opinions are 100% mine!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

DIY: 3 in 1 Kids Play Tent – A Lowe’s Creative Idea

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 28 Comments on DIY: 3 in 1 Kids Play Tent – A Lowe’s Creative Idea

I hope you’re having a great week and I want to thank all of you who left such kind comments about my daughter’s room makeover. I already shared one DIY creation in the room (the washi tape initial) and I’m back today to share another part of the space for my first challenge as a Lowe’s Creative Team Member (learn more about that here).

One of my favorite parts of the room was creating a play tent. My kids, as most kids do, love creating forts and tents with blankets and pillows. They love the idea of a hidden place to play, read books, and tell stories. When embarking on this makeover, I thought a play tent would be the perfect addition for a small space in the corner of her room.  I didn’t want to make the tent dominate the space, but I also didn’t want it to be too small because what fun is that?!

My solution for the dilemma… A 3-in-1 tent with long panels to allow room for 1 child or 5.

Kids love options – am I right?!  You never know if they want to play by themselves in a little cocoon or if they want all their friends around to have a tea party, play barbies, or battle like droids (parents of Star War fans know what I’m talking about).

When starting this project, I of course, headed to Lowe’s to gather my supplies.

  • 1 x 6 board
  • flexible wood board (I ended up using a 4″ wide x 8′ long) wood toe kick thanks to the suggestion by a Lowe’s sales person)
  • nails, screws, and anchors
  • fabric of your choice
  • ribbon of your choice
  • drapery panels

To start off, I headed to my favorite home improvement store, Lowe’s, to gather my supplies.

1. Once home, I cut the 1″ x 6″ board into a 38″ piece and a 26″ piece (Lowe’s will also cut your wood pieces to size).  The nailed the two ends together.

2. Using anchors and screws ( I always use the self-screwing kind), I attached to the two pieces of wood to the corner space.  Then for the curve, I cut the 4″ wide x 8′ long toe kick in half.  Using finishing nails, I attached the flexible curved wood to the end of each 1″ x 6″ to finish the canopy base.

The curved wood was a little flimsy (obviously so it can bend), so I secured it in the back by hot gluing on paint sticks.

Once the base was done, the fun part started… adding the fabric.

In knowing that I was going to use white long panels, I wanted to add a bit of whimsy and fun to the valance, so I used a fun Duralee Ikea fabric along with drop cloth and a white pom-pom trim.

3. I cut a piece of drop cloth that was slightly larger that the valance, then wrapped it around the front of the valance and secured it in the back with hot glue.  The curved front sits about 1/2″ from the ceiling so I was able to wrap the fabric at the top as well.

Time to jazz it up!

4. After the drop cloth was in place, I added the colorful Ikat fabric.  I determined that I wanted to have a 3″ band of the fabric and marked it along the valance.  Then once again, I hot glued on the fabric.  Easy-Peasy!

secured the fabric in the front…

secured the fabric on the back…

5. Then I added the cute white pom-pom trim. Of course with hot glue… again.

For the last part of this 3-in-1 Kids Play Tent, are the panels.

Ok, so let’s take a step back and let me explain how and why I created these panels. Because of the dynamic fuschia in the room, I thought white panels would be a quieter, fresh contrast.  I also wanted them to feel light and airy, so decided on a sheer panel with a small pattern (sheers from Target).  The overall length was only 84″ and needed to be much longer, so I added a solid white cotton fabric (used from Ikea window panels) to the bottom.  They look pretty for the tent, but could also be used as drapery panels at a later date – I love creating things that can be used now AND later.

6. With right sides together, I sewed the two short ends of the panels.  I wasn’t worried about the length because the longer the better – this is how the large canopy is created.

7. Once the two panels were created, I attached them with staples to the ceiling on the inside of the valance.  I also overlapped the two panels creating a natural opening / closure.

8. Lastly, I added metal tie backs that I purchased at Lowe’s.  These tiebacks are perfect to pull back the panels and have the space wide open – like a stage for the kids to put on a play.

 

And it’s done. An exciting 3-in-1 Kids Play Tent.

1 – Panels completely pulled back

2 – A cozy hidden nook with panels drawn

3 – Panels pulled out creating a larger “tent”

What a fun spot! Within minutes of having this space done, my kids had all their stuffed animals, blankets, and pillows tucked away inside.

Well my little girl is calling me to go back into her tent – I gotta go!

To see more on this space, click over to see the Big Girl Bedroom {Reveal}

You can find more DIY creations in the Lowe’s Creative Magazine or the Lowe’s Ipad App for FREE!

Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’s gift card to purchase items for my project.  I was also compensated for my time to use the products.  No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write.  All opinions are 100% mine!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

From Wire to Wood: Master Closet Makeover {Reveal}

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 9 Comments on From Wire to Wood: Master Closet Makeover {Reveal}

Gone with the white wire and hello to gorgeousness wood (well faux-wood to be exact)!

Despite the slight hiccup of yesterday’s light failure, I quickly resolved the issue, installed a new light (well the mister did that actually) and I can officially say the space is DONE!  I spent a few hours photographing the space this morning and here it is…

WOW, it feels good to have all my clothes back in one place, instead of laying all over my bedroom floor like it’s been for over a month.  The new shelving is a dream.  I walk into the space and pinch myself each time because I can’t believe it’s in my home.  So if you remember back to Mid-August, in the middle of the night, all the shelving fell.  It was a disaster and since then the closet and our bedroom have been a mess.  Here’s a quick before and after (long) picture.

The space is really a nice size (about 8′ x 7′), but a wee bit awkward with the angled wall, so it was difficult to photograph the room in it’s entirety. Like last time, I put a video together so you can check out all the nooks-and-crannies!

Here are some more pictures of the new Master Closet…

Having the shelving so high (about 80″ above the floor) allows so much space for storage of baskets (for belts, scarves, flip flops), pocketbooks, bags, extra sweaters, etc.  Literally every inch of wall is used!

Drawers in a closet are dreamy!  I’ve never had drawers in any closet before and it’s a great place to stash all your under wares!

And here’s a quick video ( I promise) of the entire space!  Sit back with your popcorn and enjoy…

So there you have it.  A space fully made over.  O, and I forgot to share this tid bit with you…  I took off the closet door when we were working on the space and I’m not putting it back.  I really enjoy looking at the clothes and the cabinetry – plus it reminds me of the 15+ hours it took to install the cabinets and how hard the mister and I worked!

To read more on this Master Closet makeover, check out these posts:
Project Fail = a Better Solution
Master Closet Progress + Video Tour
Happenings on the Homestead: 2 Big Projects Comin’ Up

Disclaimer: I was provided product from ClosetMaid to share the result with my readers.  Once received, I put the entire system together on my own. All opinions about the product are 100% mine!

Monogrammed Chevron Pallet Tray

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 39 Comments on Monogrammed Chevron Pallet Tray

As a Blogger, finding support throughout the blogging community is important for blog growth, friendship, and creative inspiration. For the past several weeks, I’ve joined forces with a few fabulous DIY bloggers and we’ve been helping each other with various aspects of blogging.  Along with our helpful “chats”, we were given a Blogging Challenge by Beckie of Infarrantly Creative to create a DIY project using specific materials – additional items could be added, but it was a must to use the required five.

What did I create you ask?

Well take a look… (and then keep on reading for the details)

Included in our Blogging 2 Better group was Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative, Allison of House of Hepworths, Brook of Being Brook, and Kim of Sand & Sisal – all incredibly talented and inspiring women and friends!

To begin, this is the list of items that we were required to use, and actually I pretty much just stuck to the list and didn’t use many additional items.

Fun, but definitely challenging!  I was quite nervous at first trying to think about what to create with these 5 items and then it came to me…  A tray that would be perfect to bring items in and out while BBQing (or even just to display on the coffee table – you know I love trays).

Once I had the idea, my project was quickly underway, especially since I already had a stash of pallets in my garage for a few other projects.

Item #1 – Pallet

To start off, I determined the size of the tray that I wanted to make (17″ x 17″), so the Mister and I measured (4) 17″ long pallet pieces.

Using the reciprocating saw, we buzzed right through that wood :-/

I’m always leary about using the BIG TOOLS (even though my friend Brittany has empowered me with the right skills), but I helped out and made a boo-boo when cutting. No problemo – the Mister came to the rescue with his Band Saw and cleaned the edges right up.  In no time the (4) pieces of pallet were ready to make into a box.

Lining up the corners of the pallet planks, we hammered 2 nails into each corner.

Onto the bottom of the tray…

The only material used that wasn’t on the list was a piece of 1/8″ thick plywood that I used for the bottom of the tray.  Once the pallet “frame” was made, we measured the distance to the outer edges and cut it using the Band Saw.

Once the plywood was cut to the right dimensions, we nailed it onto the bottom of the pallet “frame”.

I gave the overall tray a quick sanding, and within 20 minutes it was done!

Now onto the fun part…  Using my second and third required items, fabric and Mod Podge, I lined the bottom of the tray with a brown and white chevron fabric.

To start off, I spread a nice coat of Mod Podge along the entire bottom of the tray.

Item #2 Mod Podge

Then I added the fabric onto the glue-y surface and made sure to get it nicely in the corners as well.  Make sure the fabric size is larger than the surface because in the next step, I’ll show you how I trimmed it.

Item #3 – Fabric

Once the fabric was well stuck to the Mod Podge, it was time to trim the fabric (this can be done before the glue underneath is dry).  Using a very sharp blade, I dragged it along the edge of the tray to trim the excess fabric.

Once the fabric was cut, I add a layer of Mod Podge OVER the fabric – no worries, it will dry clear!

Once the Mod Podge was dry (fully about 1 day later), it was time to add my last 2 items – the stencil and the color coral.

Using a new Word Doc, I found a font I liked (credit valley) and printed a large letter ‘B’ in lowercase for Burger (my last name).  Then I cut it out with a scissor and traced the outline on the fabric.

Item #4 – Stencil

Then filled in the stencil with a beautiful color coral (it needed about 4 coats, but it didn’t take long).

Item #5 – Coral

And here it is all complete!  My Blogging 2 Better Challenge was done and I was quite happy with the result.  What do you think?  Perfect for the indoors or out!

And you of course have to check out the other B2B Challenge Projects using the same materials.  It’s truly amazing how they’re all SO DIFFERENT!

Rustic Industrial Storage Bins by Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative Blog

Dangle Earring Frame by Allison of House of Hepworths

Fabric Wall Art by Brook of Being Brook

Pallet Art Surfboard by Kim of Sand & Sisal

I’m sure you know all these ladies, but if not, you are REALLY missing out!  Be sure to visit each of their great Challenge projects, as well as their daily DIY creations.

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

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